Topic: window vista updateer

[marstone]

is the windows vista online updater busted?  Wondering my Mothers computer was updated online and now will not reboot, will not rebuild/fix itself, nothing.  Was it the updater (service pack 1 was added) was it the update?  Seems a few files might be corupted.  We are working on downloading those files to put them on the drive to see if that fixes things.  But wondering what went wrong to start.

From my understanding, if downloaded and updated fine, then after a reboot - boom.  Thanks.  Don't have a ton of details, wasn't me doing it.

[Czar Mohab]

What you describe seems like it might be in the update itself, but because of the updater - like maybe there was a hiccup on the line durring the download that corrupted a file or two. I (literally) just recovered an XP laptop that had a similar issue; I was left with no choice but to force a full OS recovery on it due to the files that were borked.

Vista is a little more hearty, however, and should be able to fix most of its issues on its own through the recovery console (or whatever it is called), provided you can boot that far into it (it should say that windows had an error and that it is trying to figure out what is wrong with itself). If you can get there, and it can't fix itself, it will offer up some possible sollutions, such as recover from a system restore point, DOS/command prompt, etc. You can try a system restore point, but I don't kinow how well that will work out.

You should be able to access Firefox (tried this when my old Vista lappy was dying) or IE through the DOS prompt, and so long as you have an internet connection you should be able to find a diagnostic site that can find the exact problem. In my case, I used Firefox (IE didn't want to run from DOS in that lappy), and I found out that I installed a bad DirectX driver. Gravity and a frisky feline, however, conspired to kill that lappy before I could fix it.

In any event, the fix could be as simple as replacing the file(s), or a full OS reinstall. If your mother can get her hands on a Vista install disc with SP1 on it, you should be better off than just Vista on the PC trying to fix itself. I'm fairly confident that someone has a disc she could borrow.

I'll be honest - I was going to use Vista as the OS on this computer when I built it; but with Win 7 beta and very soon now to be Win7RC, I highly doubt that Vista will be allowed on any computer that I own ever again, unless it is a donor computer and then only until I can put something better on to it.  Seriously, though, when I did use Vista, I have to assume that I was one of maybe ten users that didn't have any serious issues (until the end), just a couple of minor ones.

I have a feeling that someone will be along to offer up better advice than what I have, but hopefully this has been helpful.

Czar "tryin' to help," Mohab, who adds, don't buy Acers.

[toasty0]

Been running SP1 for some time now as have most PCs that are up-to-date.

Have you tried rolling back to "the last good configuration" yet?

[Dracho]

Check to see if the windows update service is disabled.  if you cannot restart it, odds are you have some malware.

The one I am thinking of will put a directory in program files called "Windows security" or some such.

[marstone]

Been running SP1 for some time now as have most PCs that are up-to-date.

Have you tried rolling back to "the last good configuration" yet?

yep, tried, it does it's thing then sits at the confirming stage (or whatever it states at the end).  It never gets done.

I have got to the page where it tries to fix itself.  It comes back with no help, Says something like it can't be done, then give a reboot option.

The system does have a system restore option in it, where it can fully format at restore, or do a data backup and restore.  Just didn't want to go that drastic if I could just get in and drop a few files in.  My son is backing up the data that we don't want to lose and will proably use one of the two system restore options.

thanks guys.